J'ai arrived a Paris il y a trois jours et je suis en train de decouvrir "la cite de l'amour".
I can't believe how amazing this city is. It's funny but I didn't really think about the fact that I was going to PARIS.
Oh yeah, sure, one says Paris is incredible, there's nothing like it and it's true, but saying it and feeling it are two very different sentiments.
And I have been here three times before, but I've never discovered it for myself sans les parents. At times I wish I had my mother's skirts to hide behind I mean, I'm a strong independant black woman. Shyness, laziness? I think in my case, possibly yes.
There is a syndrome that some Japanese people have when they come to Paris and it's not as good as they expected and they get ill (sif, bro). I sort of have the opposite. As someone who knows a lot about Paris, I am very pleasantly surprised how appreciative/exultant/content/amazed I feel when I walked around Paris yesterday. I did a very epic actual >10km walk.
"I noticed a profound life lesson weaved into the [film, Bridesmaids]. The main character, Annie, has a series of “setbacks” as her best friend is preparing to get married.
As her friend’s wedding day approaches, [she] struggles — until one of the other bridesmaids confronts her: “I don’t associate with people who blame the world for their problems,” says Megan to Annie. “The world isn’t the problem… YOU are the problem. But you are also the solution.”
As her friend’s wedding day approaches, [she] struggles — until one of the other bridesmaids confronts her: “I don’t associate with people who blame the world for their problems,” says Megan to Annie. “The world isn’t the problem… YOU are the problem. But you are also the solution.”
And then Megan proceeds to tackle Annie and pin her against the couch. “What are you DOING?” screams Annie to the husky woman tackling her. “I’m your LIFE, Annie. FIGHT BACK!” yells the bridesmaid in Annie’s face. Eventually, she finds the will to fight back"
http://creatingnewnormal.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/the-choice-to-survive/
I watched this move on the plane Perth-Singapore leg of the trip, and this scene now seems really, really relevant to me right now.
I am finding this really inspiring- especially when I'm feeling helpless and pathetic. I didn't come to France to be pathetic or shy or incompetant or afraid. But I have felt like this in the past couple of days.
It's partly because of the jet lag, and hugely because I keep letting my hunger levels go to critical point. No, I'm not becoming anorexic, it's just that I drift into irregular patterns and also I'm a big, fat lazy asshole. Just kidding, but I can be very lazy about doing things I need to do, like eating. Thank God for my parents or I would have starved long ago. When there is only ONE you don't really go to much effort as you don't need to impress yourself. I have noticed this when I have been at home alone while my parents have been away.
Right now, I can hear people on the street riding bikes and talking and motorbikes, and frequently these french sirens that ring out (there's a hospital 50m away beyond the end of Rue Pierre Nicole).
I am wondering whether I feel lonely? Is it better because I'm an only child?
I'm also being very miserly. I refuse to buy anything at a brasserie/cafe until I have a french bank account as I feel a little anxious about the fact that I only have 1000 EUR on the bank card and I have to pay a deposit of about 900 EUR for my accommodation demain matin.
Thank God the CROUS (accommodation for French/Parisian residents/students) is in the next street.
I have a really awesome location- you would have seen this if you have been following me on fb- and although I haven't really been getting out for ages at a time, but then I do major exploring when I am out.
I was able to get a Navigo Pass today, which took lots of fiddling. I couldn't find where to get photos done (they don't do them at pharmacies here like in Australia) so I walked all the way down the Boulevard St-Michel very grumpily as I missed lunch and some of breakfast due to a) napping, b) throwing up after a coughing fit = sadface.
I found the crowds very irritating.
I finally was able to get the passport photos, but then they were the wrong size so had to get them done again. Mind you I need both sizes probably with all the bureaucracy here.
Went to Fnac and tried to buy a phone but they said that I needed a French Bank Account!?! What the fuck, hey. I resorted to saying that that's very French, but not nastily. The salesperson agreed with me, but said that other things here are very good.
Like street drinking for instance. I think that that's very civilised. People don't go stupid here with alcohol like they do in Perth. I've only seen one drunk here and he was a sans-abri (without nest=homeless person) anyway.
